Mossie always remained a boy from 'the Rock' at heart

Mossie (Thomas J) Barrett, Foxrock, Dublin, formerly of Rock Street, Tralee, former Commissioner of Valuation, died peacefully after a short illness on Wednesday October 17th in the tender care of the staff in St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire.

Born Thomas Joseph Barrett on the 4th of July 1923, he was the third of four and only son of William and Eileen Barrett, the proud proprietors of Barrett's public house at 70 Rock Street. He always remained a boy from 'the Rock' at heart and in later years, when ill-health limited his mobility, he indulged in virtual tours of his old haunts courtesy of Goggle Earth. Mossie enjoyed his school days at The Green and used to recall classes so large that one pupil spent his entire school career 'living' under the other pupils desks! Encouraged by his maternal uncle, Master Scannell of Blennerville, Mossie won a scholarship to University College Cork.

He achieved a Bachelor of Engineering degree in three years, while also working as a waiter in the dinning hall and winning a Sigerson Cup medal for his alma mater. Mossie spent brief periods working in the ESB, the Turf Club and most memorably with the County Council in Cahersiveen. He used to recall that his was one of only three cars in the town at the time and he regularly loaned it to the local doctor in emergencies. Mossie entered the Civil Service in Dublin in his mid '20s. During a highly-successful career in the Valuation Office spanning over 40 years, he progressed from Valuer to Staff Valuer, to chief Staff Valuer.

At the time of his retirement in1988 Mossie was commissioner for Valuation for Ireland, Director of Ordnance Survey and Chief Boundary Surveyor. While working in Dublin, which also involved extensive travelling around the country but mostly 'home' to Munster, Mossie found time to court Letitia Garvey from Sligo, a fellow civil servant. They married in 1968 and set up home in Foxrock and had three children, Aidan, Emer and Aoife. Mossie always had a great love of travel and visited much of mainland Europe in his 30s and even took a banana boat to the Canaries. In the 70s, having successfully seen his three children through university in the days before free third level education, he returned to his love, travelling to Europe and Africa with his wife. Dogged by deteriorating health Mossie spent his retirement quietly at is home of 44 years, looking after his garden, reading the paper, following the GAA and revelling in Kerry's dominance for the game. Mossie is survived by his loving wife Letitia, his children Aidan, Emer and Aoife, his sisters Maureen Murphy of Waterford and Eileen O'Mahony of Tralee and many nieces and nephews. Now he is at rest with his parents, his sister Ita and his brothers-in-law Billy, Johnny and Ted. He will be missed.

(Text courtesy of Kerry's Eye 08/11/12) Tweet

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